


The Prince's Return

by pandehelado



Category: EXO (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 08:34:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12032139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandehelado/pseuds/pandehelado
Summary: To be perfectly honest, Soonyoung is pretty content with the lot he has in life right now. But Wonwoo insists that his parents have a right to meet their grandson. Big talk coming from someone who was doing everything in his power to avoid his in-laws.orSoonyoung was a missing prince who was found by his best friend, Wonwoo. They lived happily ever after until said best friend (now husband) felt guilty for not returning the prince to his kingdom.





	The Prince's Return

**Author's Note:**

> This is the epilogue-prologue of my unofficial July 2017 Camp Nanowrimo project which is still a work in progress. Unbetaed. Mildly edited. Dialogue heavy. Oneshot with the possibility of a rewrite/extension on the horizon.
> 
> Oh. And to better understand the little kid's dialogue, pronounce each word by syllables.

"A-ANNOUNCING HIS ROYAL H-HIGHNESS, C-CROWN PRINCE SOONYOUNG OF ESTRIGARE a-and uh... CHILD?!"

There was no need for grand proclamations, he thought as he remembered a couple of the maids recognizing him when he bid them a good day as they passed by. He was sure that everybody in the castle already knew of their arrival. Still, Soonyoung couldn't help but look incredulously at the Royal Guard that announced them, referring to his son as though he was just some random street urchin that he decided to abscond on a whim. He decides to carry him in his arms even though he knew it would wreak havoc on his aching back. Where was his husband anyway? He was the one who insisted that they go on this unnecessary trip in the first place and now he's nowhere to be found.

"Wonwoo, I swear… if you've left us to deal with these people ourselves, not even the Goddess herself can save you from my wrath."

He had barely taken a few steps down a couple of corridors away from the bewildered guard when he hears frantic clanging heading straight for them. He looks up to see a large gangly knight barreling down the red carpet.

Soonyoung swiftly turns around and tries to escape from the oncoming assault. He winces as he hears a large crash behind him. He decides to ignore it, the safety of his son more important. He does falter when he hears a loud deep bellow calling after him.

"SOONYOUNG-AH!"

Against his better judgment, he looks over his shoulder to confirm his suspicion. The knight had indeed fallen. What he hadn't expected was the man holding onto the knight's cape.

"I told him to wait until he had taken off his armor but you've been missing for so long… I didn't have the heart to genuinely tell him to stop. I figured, at the very least, I follow him and do damage control."

And there he was, Estrigare's beloved monarch, His Royal Highness, King Minseok. Or as Soonyoung fondly calls him…

"Appa."

 

* * *

 

He's not crying. Really… he's not. Soonyoung just has excess tears in his eyes, that's all. It's not his fault said eyes are too small to actually hold them back at seeing his father again after so many years.

The sound of grunting and chainmail swishing against struggling metal plates interrupt their most heartfelt reunion as the knight rolls around fruitlessly on the ground, trying to get up. Soonyoung laughs through his tears. Apparently, nothing has changed since he went missing oh so many years ago.

"And to think you're the one whose always lecturing me about royal protocol." Minseok shakes his head at the struggling metal mass on the floor.

_"Can we talk about that later? Mayhaps focus more on how to get me out of this infernal contrivance."_

…or so Soonyoung likes to believe as it’s hard to properly decipher what the knight is talking about with his helmet on. His father obviously understood as he starts unbuckling the chestplate from the back, the knight busying himself with the straps of his arm guards.

He walks towards them and gets on his knees, being careful not to jostle his son who has somehow kept himself most behaved during the whole ruckus. He wonders if by being at the castle, his royal blood is kicking in. He shakes his head at his silly notion.

He places his son on the floor, the small child immediately snuggling flush at his side, as he takes off the front half of the knight's armor. Two arm guards and a helmet later, he's staring at the sweaty, tear-stained, widely grinning face of the Captain of the Guards and Most Royal Consort, Prince Chanyeol. Or as Soonyoung lovingly call him…

"Eomma…"

 

* * *

 

A hand comes up to caress his cheek. "I can't believe it's really you, my little firefly." Soonyoung lets out a bark of laughter, almost choking at the memory of the oft used term of endearment.

His mother's eyes' widen, worry plain on his face as he hurriedly rubs his chest to alleviate the imagined blockage in his air passage. Chanyeol's eyes go even wider when a small hand joins his in the impromptu massage.

Minseok, who’s been squatting down behind his husband all this time, looks over Chanyeol's shoulder when he notices the silence and couldn't help but gawk. He shares a look with his husband before addressing the small child.

"Hello. And who might you be?"

"Oh! Right.” Soonyoung sniffles as he moves the small child in front of him so they can have a better look. “Sorry. Where are my manners? This… this is Matthew…"

"EOMMA!"

"Matthew, inside voices." The small boy's eyes widen at the reprimand, hurriedly covering his mouth with both hands. Seeing how adorable the action is, Soonyoung peppers him with kisses, making the little boy giggle.

"As I was saying, this is Matthew and…" He looks up to see the fond smiles on both his parents' faces. His mother looks like he's going to cry again.

"My precious salamander is already a father. Can you believe it? I mean, there was no doubt that he would be one of these days but…"

"What your mother is trying to say is that we hadn't expected you to be a father at such a young age. I, myself, would've wanted to at least grow out a full beard before I'm referred to as Grandfather."

"Are you saying that you didn't think our Gigglyjump…" Soonyoung groans at the nickname and asks himself again if the trip back home was really necessary. His parents can be so embarrassing. "…could land himself a bride? And, if I remember correctly, the last time you tried to grow a beard, the guards forcibly escorted you out of the castle!"

Minseok sighs. It seems Chanyeol’s overprotectiveness is already kicking in.

"I'm sorry, dear heart, I didn't mean to imply such a thing. And the staff just wasn't used to my roguish good looks."

"They thought you were a stableboy!"

"ANYWAY…" the king loudly declares, promptly cutting off that particular conversation, and avoiding the retelling of that story altogether amidst the giggling of his family. He duckwalks to the small child who looks at him quite inquisitively, he might add, and speaks.

"Hello, Matthew. It's such a welcome sight to finally meet you. My, such a beautiful boy, are you not?"

The child shakes his head. "Machu’z nat byutipul. Hi’z hansam."

 

* * *

 

The king and his husband are taken aback. They shouldn't have been considering that Soonyoung started talking probably around the same age, judging by how old the boy looked. But he wasn't quite as glib. It hasn't been that long so they were most certain.

"But, of course, you are handsome as well. You can use one word to replace the other in some cases but in this one, you can use both."

Matthew looks back at Soonyoung for confirmation. He nods at him, telling the boy that King Minseok's words were true. "Machu iz byutipul, tu?" The older man nods. "Tenk yu, kaind ser." he awkwardly bows then grins at Soonyoung, making sure that he made him proud. Chanyeol is on the verge of bawling at how intelligent his grandson is.

"Very good, Matthew. Now, do you want to know who these people are?" The boy nods in the affirmative and all the adults smile.

"The man you're talking to right now is my appa. That means he's your haraboji."

"Haboji?"

Minseok nods sagely at the boy and is surprised by an impromptu hug, which he welcomes fully once he gets his bearings. His grandchild’s stature belies his strength.

"And this one is my eomma. He's your halmoni."

"Wai hamoni krai?" Matthew looks on in concern. "Iz it bicoz yu pol, go… klang?" the look of confusion on his face at replacing the word "boom" with "clang" is absolutely adorable. He also gives Chanyeol a hug, rubbing his back and patting him on the top of his head. "Iz okey… iz okey, hamoni. Yu a big boi. Yu iben biger dan Machu. Yu bi pai~n…"

 

* * *

 

"He's very eloquent for…"

“Three.”

Both men goggle at this. Three years of age.

“He’s very eloquent for a three year old, isn't he?"

"Of course. We couldn't be prouder."

"You were not the best at studying though so am I right to assume that this is all your wife's doing?"

"Appa!" The king hadn't seen Soonyoung so offended, not unlike that time they told him how great his turkey impression was when he had just finished coming up with and practicing his new dance. "I'll have you know that Matthew's firm grasp of vocabulary and language is a team effort and…”

“And?"

Minseok looks at his son at the abrupt pause. Was it something he said? Other than the implication that Soonyoung couldn't have possibly been responsible for his son's exemplary grasp of the language, there wasn’t anything amiss with his observation. He backtracks in his mind then just so happen to lock eyes with his son to realize where he had gotten it wrong. The waterfall issuing from under Soonyoung's bowlcut clinches it for the king.

"What's got you two so quiet?"

 

* * *

 

Minseok looks over at his husband and grandson. It seems that he wouldn't be able to pry away either of them from each other with how much Chanyeol's arms are entwined around Matthew's form. He needs to tread carefully or the situation might get out of hand and get heated really quick.

"Oh. Ah… I was just thinking how unfair it was that you've been occupying most of Matthew's time and hardly paid any attention towards our son."

"But, of course! What kind of halmoni would I be if I didn't choose my grandchild over his father?"

"Eomma!"

"True. But, you do understand that he is also my grandson and I probably would want to bond with him for a bit."

"Grandmothers always have the upper hand in these cases, my dear. Wouldn't you say so, my little Matthew?"

"Iz BIG Machu, hamoni. Bi-Ai-Ji. Ai~m oredi tri yiws owd."

"Big Matthew, of course. And how about it, you like halmoni better, right?"

"Ai down’t no. Dis pers tai~m Ai bi wit yu. ‘Down't no yu bowt dat wel yet."

"I'm willing to pull rank if you're not convinced of how serious I am."

"Is that any way to act, especially around your grandchild? Just because you're the king."

"I was thinking more in the lines of me being older than you but I wouldn't be above to using the King Card if you won't cooperate."

"Ooooh! Yu hab kards, haboji? Machu lubs kards." He unwraps Chanyeol’s arms from around him and proceeds to empty his pockets. He comes up with at least twenty. "Dey mosly Ploop Kards bat eomma sez iz orai~t tu dro on dem. Dis wan wers a hat."

"Indeed it does. He looks very much the gentleman."

"Sili haboji. Da ploop's hat iz hard lai~k a shel. Hi yuses it tu nak hiz enemis dau~n."

Matthew proceeds to tell his grandfather all about the cards that he has. Each identical Ploop Card has a different outfit drawn on it to make it different from each other. He also has a few other monster cards too.

 

* * *

 

Chanyeol is pouting in the middle of the hallway, his grandson's attention on his husband. Soonyoung, on the other hand, is pulling on his sleeve and whining because he's being ignored.

"So, when will we be expecting your wife?"

The pulling stops. He looks over to his son, who is looking oddly nervous.

"Um… well… the thing is…"

"Did you adopt Matthew? Was he orphaned by an attack?" Soonyoung probably thought they would not accept his son if he turned out to be someone else’s child but it was not unheard of to take in someone whose parents’s lives have been taken by monsters. Chanyeol wouldn’t be surprised if that turned out to be the truth knowing how caring his son was.

"Eomma, he looks just like me."

"Oh, honey…" Chanyeol hugs his son. "I shouldn't have been speaking without thinking. It's going to be alright from now on."

"As much as I love this show of support…” Soonyoung tries not to get smothered by his mother’s embrace. “I have no idea what you are talking about."

"What was it? A monster attack or perhaps the rigors of childbirth? I had such a hard time when you were being born and that was just a mere incision! I couldn't possibly fathom how hard it must have been through normal delivery."

"Um… Eomma… nobody passed away."

Chanyeol is puzzled then his demeanor suddenly changes to that which Soonyoung rarely sees.

"Please don't tell me she left you. You know full well I don't suffer traitors."

"Eomma, please calm down. Nobody left us."

"Then, when is she going to be here?! When will I meet Matthew's mother?!"

Matthew suddenly giggles. "Sili hamoni. Hi oredi toking to Machu's muhmi."

"I knew it!" Minseok gives himself a pat on the back. Chanyeol, on the other hand, looks aghast at his son.

 

* * *

 

"You can give birth?" Soonyoung just nods and is suddenly locked in a tight embrace.

"We should have been there. I should've been there. I remember how scared I was. I had my husband with me and all the qualified court physicians from all the kingdoms near and far who specializes in male pregnancies and still, I was terrified. I couldn't imagine how it would have been for you out there…"

"Eomma… it's okay.” Soonyoung returns the hug. “I'm okay. Matthew's okay. The village doctor who treated us had gone out of his way to seek out a specialist. It was a little worrying since he only gave my doctor old battered books that he had to copy the contents from but he was smart enough to understand the procedure so it's all good. If you want, we'll be happy to have the court physician look us over but I'm fairly certain, aside from a few extra pounds, that we're both fit as a fiddle."

"You best believe you're both getting a checkup after a well deserved rest. Who knows what subpar living conditions you have been subjecting my grandson to." Soonyoung prays to the heavens that when Matthew grows up he wouldn’t be as overbearing as his mother is, though he is quite sure that his husband would say otherwise.

"Now, about your husband…" King Minseok pipes in.

 

* * *

 

"Is he dead?"

"Eomma!"

"What?! I'm not going to go through my whole spiel again. It's quite exhausting. Now, is he dead? Did he leave you? Are you married?"

"No. No. Yes."

"Wait. Is he of royal descent? Have we talked about this? Goddess above, we hadn't even started to talk to him about the birds and the bees when he suddenly disappeared. I don't even remember the protocol for someone from the royal family marrying a commoner. And he's also our only son. All our other surviving relatives are all wrinkled old prunes who would probably go have their audience with the Goddess way before us. Who will the kingdom go to when we're gone?"

"That, Matthew, is your halmoni being a worrywart."

"Ai down’t no wat hi worid abawt.” Matthew quips as he concentrates on getting all his cards in the right order. “Jas gib kingdam to Machu. It bi in gud hands."

"There. Problem solved. Now, about your husband…"

"Well… he… I mean…"

"Huh. I think this is the first time I've seen our son at a loss for words."

"You do realize that it's standard protocol even in the rural countryside to introduce a significant other to one's parents. What more that they're royalty and that you're already married. It's imperative that we meet him."

"It's not like I don't want you to meet him…"

"Does he not know about your royal lineage? Or does he not want to meet us?"

"Oh, he knows of my royal lineage. As for wanting to meet you…"

Chanyeol sighs with exasperation. "It's not like we can do anything about the two of you anyway. You're already married and unless you both wanted to part ways, not even the Goddess can separate you. And obviously, you've both already given us Matthew so I don't know what the problem is."

"Oh, I'm certain there's going to be a problem."

"Well, whatever it is, he should expect an audience before the court as soon as possible. Is that understood?" Minseok marvels at how seamlessly Chanyeol is able to merge the tones of being a privileged royal and a stern mother at the same time. "We're very levelheaded, reasonable people who wouldn't hurt a fly. I don't know what you're afraid of."

"Soonyoung-ah? Are you here?"

 

* * *

 

Soonyoung cringes when he hears his husband's hushed deep voice echoing through the empty hallway, which he hopes his parents hadn't heard.

"See. Speak of the devil…"

"Eomma…"

"What? It's just an expression." Chanyeol wasn't fooling anyone. Everyone in that hallway can feel the anticipation rolling off of him in waves.

"I went ahead and had your room prepared. Well, that was my intention but it seems everyone and their mother already knows you're here so it was a flurry of activity in your wing. All I really had to do was to tell them about Matthew and that he will be staying in your quarters for the duration of…"

It was a good thing Soonyoung had lightning fast reflexes or everyone on the outskirts of the neighboring kingdoms would have heard his mother's roar at seeing his husband. He just hopes his mother doesn’t start biting his hands for his insolence.

"Eomma, please. Think of Matthew."

And here he was still thinking how he would explain to his parents that he had married his long time best friend/paladin bodyguard Wonwoo.

Minseok, for the most part, had suspected that Wonwoo would be the one that Soonyoung married, being how close they were through the years. It's also further evidenced by the fact that Matthew resembled both of his parents (and Wonwoo, in particular, in both mind and demeanor).

"I'm going to remove my hands. Do you promise not to shout?" Chanyeol nods at his son. "I swear, Eomma, if Matthew starts crying because you startled him…" He just rolls his eyes at Soonyoung.

Wonwoo, for all that he's worth, hadn't moved from his spot the minute he recognized the King and his Prince Consort interacting with his family. (He doesn't even realize that he really should remember that they were his in-laws now.)

 

* * *

 

Soonyoung slowly removes his hands from his mother's mouth. He watches him intently, afraid that he'll try to harm his husband, as evidenced by the fiery gaze he's directing at him.

Big Mistake.

The first thing that comes out of his mother's mouth, a low hiss full of barely reined in rage is…

"Where's my sword?"

"EOMMA!"

Chanyeol hears subsequent thumps and the clattering of metal behind him. He looks over at his husband who, while still paying attention to their grandson, had just been in the process of picking up both their swords and chucking them far away from where his long arms can reach them. The bastard.

And his husband knew Chanyeol wouldn't be caught dead crawling on the red carpet to pick them up. The fact that they were already both sitting on the ground was already against any royal protocol that has been with them ever since birth.

Minseok covers Matthew's ears preemptively as he knows that his husband has a tendency to spout hellfire when angered and he doubts that their grandson is that wise to not try to copy him.

"A poleaxe, a lance, a spear, a pitchfork, a knife, a spindle, ANYTHING?!"

"REALLY, EOMMA?!" …Aaand of course, it just so happens that Soonyoung inherited his fiery temperament from his mother. "It has been but a couple of minutes when you said that you're willing to meet my husband without having any ill will towards him and now you're contemplating capital punishment."

Chanyeol, though, is too busy trying to think of ways to end said rapscallion for defiling his precious son to even hear said son complain about his untruths. In his frustration, he pounds on the floor, minutely denting his forgotten armor. An evil grin overtakes his face as he pulls out the magnificent feather adorning his helmet.

"Honey, would you be a dear and take Matthew for a stroll? I have some pressing issues to attend to concerning the lovebirds." He then turns his attention to his grandson. "Here you go, Matthew. You can have this feather to play with while I talk to your parents, okay?"

Matthew is awed by the large feather and hurriedly pockets his card collection.

"Ai ken rili hab dis?" he tries to confirm with his halmoni and eomma.

"Uh… sure, honey." Soonyoung doesn't know what his mother is planning but he knows he must be at least three steps ahead of him. He also needs to not let Matthew know that something is amiss, which is hard considering how smart his son is.

"And what do we say after receiving a gift?"

"Tenk yu kaindli por dis wanderpul gip, hamoni. Ai'l cherish it poreber." he ends his little speech with an awkward bow while twirling the huge feather.

Minseok is of two minds. On one hand, he doesn't want to leave the couple to face his husband's renowned wrath alone. On the other hand, he doesn't want his grandson to witness the inevitable carnage when his halmoni gets his hands on his father's throat.

"Come along now, Matthew. How about accompanying me while I brew some delicious coffee, wouldn't that be fun?"

"It prababli wud bat Appa sed kopi stants yor growt so Ai’m sori ip Ai ken’t drink eni op it."

Minseok quickly whips his head around. His husband and son are both facing the other direction but there's no denying their shaking shoulders. He then turns his attention to Wonwoo who quickly raises both his hands in surrender as he receives one of his father-in-law's iciest glares. He doesn’t regret taking his grandson away from the impending bloodbath.

He feels a tug at his sleeve.

"Ai tink it's orayt if Ai jas wach yu meyk it." Matthew is not very confident with his conclusion but he seems sincere in wanting to spend some time with his grandfather.

"Appa." Soonyoung approaches his father. "Will you make an extra batch of your famous brew?"

Minseok looks at him with a question in his eyes. Soonyoung drinks coffee now?

"Matthew may not be allowed to drink coffee…” Soonyoung whispers as he looks at his son. “…but that doesn't mean that he can't have some in cake form."

He starts to ask his son if he can bake but refrains from doing so. He just pats him on the cheek and nods; then wipes his hand on his robes and tells his son to take a bath after talking to his mother because it's unbecoming for a prince to be so sweaty. He quickly scoops his grandson in his arms then bolts, feeling the slight breeze behind his back as his son tries to take a swipe at him.

 

* * *

 

When Soonyoung turns back with a slight shake of his head, his mother had already gotten all of his armor off. He's wary and scared because he knows that his mother is very kind and loving, until you somehow incur (inadvertently or not) his wrath (with the latter resulting in a very slim chance of survival). He's a little bit confused as to why his mother is dismantling his armor piece by piece. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see his husband weighing his options of staying or leaving. He wouldn't be surprised and would rather be very encouraging as long as Wonwoo’s decision kept him safe. His mother's hard words confirm his horror.

"You dare come into my house…"

"I was brought here to become your son's servant."

Soonyoung facepalms. _"Of all the times…"_ Wonwoo's annoying habit of being a logical know-it-all when he's being cornered isn't really helping here.

"Go after my beloved Will-O'-The-Wisp…"

"I'm his personally appointed, royally decreed (…by you and your husband, might I add), knight slash bodyguard."

"Proceed to have your way with him…"

"I can assure you, it was all consensual. Just ask him."

Soonyoung turns his back at his mother's fiery gaze and walks to a nearby pillar to hide his flaming face (and possibly knock himself out cold by hitting his head on said pillar repeatedly). He has half a mind to just leave his husband and join Matthew and his father. No one's going to be baking that cake if he's not there.

"And father a child."

"I was just as surprised as you! Though I admit I shouldn't have been surprised considering that he mostly takes after you, the cheekbones, the cheerfulness, and apparently, even the ability to conceive. And here I was thinking the only other thing he got was your inability in keeping your temper in che-"

THUNK

Soonyoung was seeing red. He also saw a piece of armor plating flying and hitting his husband's thick skull. Serves him right for calling him a hot head. The following pieces of flying armor, though, has him sweating and he immediately goes in between the two to block and/or redirect his mother's projectiles and make sure his husband wasn't concussed or bleeding.

"Ow…"

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, in a side corridor…

"Du yu tink hamoni was hapi wit my ‘tenk yu’?"

"Ecstatic."

"O, gud."

"Why do you ask?"

"Appa jas gat hir en I down't wan him tu get hert 'kos Machu lubs him end eomma."

The sound of whistling and clanging metal startle both grandfather and grandchild. Matthew wriggles himself out of his grandfather's hold. He then turns to him and signals for him to be quiet. Minseok does as he's told as his grandchild plasters himself against the wall and slowly inches his way to the corner to take a peek at the commotion.

Minseok slowly runs a hand down his face as he sees his husband hurl bits and pieces of his suit of armor at their son-in-law, with their son trying to keep his mother (and any and all projectile) away from him. He hears a snicker below him and a tug at his pant leg.

"Haboji, wi ken go nau."

And with that, Matthew does an about face and struts confidently down the hallway, as if he was the one who knew where they were going.

"Aren't you afraid of, you know, your father getting hurt?" Minseok asks curiously.

"Nah… Mai perents du dat ol da taym. Wel… nat trowing stup bat mor argyu en it's yushuwali abawt sili tings like eomma neyming ol da chikens ‘Koko’. Appa tinks it's wird dat ich chiken nows wich ‘Koko’ it iz en eomma jas laf at him."

Minseok looks unconvinced.

"Haboji, it rili iz okey. Appa nows haw tu pai~t en if he nids tu, eomma ken kas Payerbol."

"Wait. Your eomma already knows how to cast Fireball?"

"Yup."

"But your halmoni also knows how to cast Fireball. I think we should go back."

Matthew sighs, like a hermit that cannot believe there are still young people who keep coming up his mountain peak just to learn the mysterious art of dabbing.

"Dey'r pai~n." Matthew looks up at his grandfather with his hands on his hips. "Ip hamoni waz siryus abawt herting appa, hi wud hab yusd Payerbol oredi or da sords yu lept bihaynd." Minseok's eyes widen. "Yes. Yu porgot abawt da sords."

"Hamoni's jas habing a temper tantrum bikos hi did'int get wat hi want. Ai shud no. Ai yus tu hab dem ol da taym."

"Matthew, you're three."

"Egsakli. Dat's wai dey'r kold di Teribol Tu's.”

**Author's Note:**

> To answer the question,
> 
> Yes. I do headcanon Chibi!BM from KARD as SoonWoo's child.


End file.
